27 Dec Best Cross-Culture Posts of 2016 World-Wide

Our mission at Blogging Abroad is to inspire and equip people living abroad to promote cross-cultural understanding through blogging and social media. This year, we’ve seen so many fantastic examples of cultural exchange online, we decided to round up the best of the best.

What makes a great cultural blog post?

 
Here are some of the top things we considered when composing our list:

• Well-written, easy to read text
• A positive, respectful outlook and promotion of cross-cultural understanding
• A cohesive theme, rather than a running diary entry
• A unique perspective or creative post format
• Engaging, quality images
• Interesting titles and headings
• Responsible crediting of outside sources (including image credits)
• Appropriate post length – not too long or rambling

 
We applaud each of our finalists for their excellent blog posts. And above all, we hope these examples will spark ideas and encourage more bloggers to join in the meaningful work of unofficial cultural ambassadorship!

Still need more blog post ideas? Check out our Tools & Resources page.

Top Cross-Culture Posts

 
We narrowed our list down to thirteen front runners, each with their own particular strengths and merit. Here they are, in no particular order:

Take a Quick 5-Minute Trip to Moldova by Sara Hoy | SaraJoy (Moldova)

Friends and family can’t always come visit while you’re abroad. Why not take them on a virtual tour?

Hang On To Your Hats: An Exhaustive Guide to Central Asian Headgear by Mark Jahnke | Monday Bazaar (Kyrgyzstan)

Is there a quirky, niche topic in your host culture that few people are writing about? Make it fun and informative with photo examples (and remember to cite your image sources).

#FoodFriday: What’s in a Tamale? by Tilyian Morrin | A Peace Corps Journey (Costa Rica)

Not all recipes are created equal! Jazz it up with a little back-story and flare.

How to Eat a Mango- Jamaican Style by Dominique Gebru | Two Years Pon De Rock (Jamaica)

How about a “How To”? Every-day things in your host culture are still foreign to folks back home, so show ’em how it’s done!

The Help by Elena Ruyter | ELÈNA RUYTER (Burkina Faso)

Reveal the nuances of your host culture through a carefully crafted story about a community member, paired with captivating portraits.

10 Things That Become Normal After Long-Term Travel in Asia by Lianne Bronzo | LianneBronzo.com (Korea)

People love lists! And it’s a great strategy to summarize the various tidbits of your experiences abroad.

Twenty Questions by Tina Pico | Little Backpack Big World (Namibia)

Starting to see a theme in your host country (like the questions people keep asking you)? Start compiling a list of examples to give people back home an idea of what you’re encountering.

Life Without Corners – My Peace Corps Home by Alicia Carter (Lesotho)

Working on a project that gives a glimpse into local culture? Share a DIY Guide with your step-by-step process.

A Life Unplumbed by Beth Spencer | Adventures of Beth (Lesotho)

What is it like to live without __? Find something different about your new life and open your readers’ eyes.

Ancient Traditions Seen By Modern Eyes by Jose Ricardo Espitia | Combine Community (The Philippines)

Become a cultural reporter, uncovering hidden secrets of the past! Remember: where there is controversy, seek first to understand. As a blogger, you don’t have to take sides but can share your first-hand experiences objectively.

“On the Road”: My Walk to School by Rebecca Lehman | Rebecca and Chris in the Peace Corps (Moldova)

Mix up your social media! Weave a thread through a compilation of themed Instagram posts, and voila – you have a blog post!

Beautiful and Bizarre NYE Traditions of Peru by Brooklynn Adelman | No Sleep Till Peace

Celebrations are different everywhere you go. Bring your readers to the party with descriptions and photos of the festivities!

Our Long-Term Plan to Stay in Morocco by Matt and Anne Stuckey | Maghamra Maghribiya With Matt and Anne (Morocco)

Take something you see every day and put a creative spin to it. The “listicle” format makes it even more approachable!

Honorable Mentions

 
Over one hundred posts were nominated for this year’s contest, and it was an impressive set! While there were too many fantastic posts submitted for us to share them all, we wanted to highlight more of the amazing variety that bloggers are publishing. Each of our Honorable Mentions bring something special, whether it’s particularly great writing, a unique format, or a brilliant topic.

• Recount an entertaining moment navigating a foreign culture – Meat by Hannah L. | What is the What What (Namibia)
• Help others who will follow in your footsteps – What to Expect from a Homestay Experience by Amanda M. | Amanda Away (Multiple locations)
• Paint a picture of the moment with well-crafted text, photos, and videos – Dancing for the Dead by Olivia Prentzel | Color Me Madagascar
• Get back to basics with every-day foods – Staple Foods of Ghana by Christine Bedenis | Culturally Curious
• Give the play-by-play with a series of tweets – A Day in the Life by Michael Owen | Musings of a Wandering Soul (Colombia)
• Give a behind-the-scenes peek at a community member’s life – On Being Ama de Casa by Tilyan Morrin | A Peace Corps Journey (Costa Rica) and Guano: Meet Gerard, the Rug Maker by Allison Wilhite | AWECUADOR
• State your case for favored holiday traditions – 4 Ways Ecuador Does New Years Eve Better by Allison Wilhite | AWECUADOR and Thai Kids on Songkran by Amy Cosgrove | SameAmebutDifferent
• Break down the issues to pique your reader’s interest – 4 Things I Never Knew About Namibia Before Living Here by Tina Pico | Little Backpack Big World
• See, hear, feel, touch, smell: bring new perspective from another sense – The Sound of (no) Silence by Autumn S. | Autumn’s Adventures in Mexico
• Reflect on what it’s like to live abroad through the stories of fellow expats – Finding Your Place by Linda Lapin | The Magic Library of Bomarzo (Italy)
• Teach culture through a fun language lesson – Ugandlish by Bethany | Journey to the Center of Peace Corps (Uganda)
• Micro blog with meaningful cultural snippets on social media – Ampe: A jumping, clapping, matching game… by Christine Bedenis | @noon_thirty on Instagram (Ghana)
• Compose an ode of your favorite things with photos – A Love Letter to Australia by Sarah Caroline Halford | I’m Newi In Town
• Walk your readers through your thought process and unique perspective – Peace corps rollercoaster: serving while black by Krystal W. | Moving Wright Along
• Put a twist on the “how to” post with comparisons by country – How to take a bath or shower by Robin Blanc | Robinstl (Multiple locations)
• Make your trip recap nice and concise and heavy on the beautiful photos – Outapi, Namibia by Kayla Koterwski | Kayla Koterwski Storytelling
• Love that listicle – 29 Things that happen when you take public transportation in Jamaica by Dominique Gebru | Two Years Pon de Rock
• Document traditions that may not get much press – Death in Dominica by David Kurtz | David Kurtz’s Kuribbean Quest
• Mix your media by incorporating your physical artwork into a blog post – Simon’s book… by John Kotula | John and Deb in Nicaragua

Still need more blog post ideas? Check out our Tools & Resources page.